me_irl
Wednesday, 12 Mar 2025
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Waiting for the medical experts of Reddit to show up and tell us what this phenomenon is called and why it happens
Happened to me once. I thought I’m gonna have an embarrassing death just because I drank a glass of water
Like you swallowed a small portion of water and it turned into a 10lb rock somewhere in your throat
Almost 4 million people die each year from water related diseases. Know your enemy.
I felt this 😔
Because no Reddit Dr is awake and I needed to know, AI says:
The phenomenon depicted in the meme is called “esophageal spasm” or “referred pain from improper swallowing.”
It happens when you swallow something “the wrong way” or too quickly, causing the muscles of the esophagus to contract painfully, often leading to a sharp, excruciating pain in the chest. This pain can feel like a cramp or even mimic heart-related pain, though it is typically harmless.
Happens sometimes with my own saliva
I’ve never been able to describe this particular situation to know why the hell it happens lol
That pain feels like my soul is leaving my body for no reason, every single time.
Joel’s anxiety attack is excellent meme material
I get 911 on speed dial
Happens to me every week
When water decides to take the scenic route through your suffering
This doesn’t happen to me, but everytime I drink water, my chest just feels ***intense*** NOT PAINFUL, but… *intense* somehow…
It’s called near death experience
A square sip.
What the hell causes this feeling?
My brother took a big swallow of Pepsi about a year ago. He’s chatting away after and started rubbing his knuckles on his breastbone.
“Ah jesus, that drink has gotten stuck….”, his eyes rolled back in his head, and he fell from the chair. He thankfully only hit his knee on the way down to the floor. He was awake before he hit the floor, really. My mum was freaking out and screaming. I had a pillow under his head and feet in the air. He was panicking that he had a seizure because his job relys on driving and you couldn’t drive if you’ve seizures. He knew where he was, who he was, and what year it was. I kept him talking as I snuck a look at his pupils. All was normal.
He did go to the hospital and got an answer. The gas from Pepsi expanded his oesophagus to the point that it compressed his Vagus nerve. It’s basically a light switch for your brain, hence why when his was squished, it shut his off for a half second.
You realize even water can be dangerous.
That pain makes me rethink every life choice, like why do I even drink water?
Esophageal Cramp, maybe, I get them ALOT, had one once when drinking a just opened can of coke that was so bad I passed out.
I’ve done that such big drink of water it feels like there’s a rock in it. Like a cartoon trying to swallow a square in your throat.
It rarely happens but when it does..
Just do fake cough if that ever happens to you .
“Down the wrong pipe”
One time I took a shot of liquor and swallowed it this way, had that strong chest pain plus the burn from the alcohol. Shit sucked bad
I get this with soda most often. Probably the carbonation.
This is it feels for me every time I swallow.
I once did this with ice cream and had brain freeze at the same time. I thought I was going to die.
‘It’s been a good life’ moment